Chapter 41

"Viola, are you okay? I've been calling you." Rana asked.

"Oh... I'm sorry. I wasn't... paying attention." Viola apologized. "Is there anything I can help?"

Rana sighed. "What now? Are you fighting with your husband again? Hmm? Doesn't look so to me, though." The florist observed. "You seem happier. Did something happen?"

"Wha... what? There isn't anything!" Viola blushed.

"Yeah, right." Rana crossed her arms.

"Do you need any help?" Viola tried to change the subject.

"Oh, right! Here." Rana took out a name card. "A young woman came by looking for you when you were out doing deliveries. She told me to give this to you... umm... from a design house? Is she a designer or something?"

Viola took the name card and stared at the name printed on it. Nora Tellsa.

"Did she say... anything?" Viola asked.

"She said she would come again tomorrow."

Viola lowered her eyes to the card again. What does she want? She isn't thinking that Walter and I are still together, is she?

Viola kept the card and went back to work.

The next day, Nora showed up as expected.

"What do you want?" Viola asked.

"Can we talk... somewhere else?" The once proud socialite was now looking like a frightened rabbit.

Viola noticed the bump under her dress. "I know a place. Can you walk a little? It's not that far."

Nora looked up and nodded. Gone was the confident young woman that Viola often saw in the national tabloid.

A few minutes later, the two women were seated at the corner of a coffee shop. A waiter brought their drinks and left them alone.

"I'm sorry." Nora suddenly lowered her head.

Viola almost burned her tongue with her hot tea.

"It... it was all my fault. I misunderstood you and... I thought of..." Nora could not continue her words. She recalled what she did in the cold room that night.

Viola, who was sitting across Nora, watched her silently.

"I am not asking you to forgive me but..."

Viola could hear her sniffling.

"I... I want to apologize. I am sorry. I... I'm really sorry." Tears were dropping on the table.

"Lift up your head, Miss Tellsa." Viola said softly.

Nora's face was full of tears.

"It's... in the past. Let's forget about it." Viola smiled at her.

"But... I almost killed you..."

"I just... don't think you are a bad person."

Nora stared at Viola, looking confused.

"You were afraid for your unborn child, afraid that the baby's father would not accept..."

"I..."

"That day... you were the one who called the ambulance, weren't you?" Viola asked.

"Oh that... that's because you... suddenly bit your own tongue... I was afraid... you would die..." Nora trembled. "I had always thought that I wanted you dead but when I actually saw you dying in front of me..."

Nora went silent. Tears were flowing down from her eyes. Viola moved and went to sit beside her. She reached out her arm and patted her back. "I'm alright now. Please don't blame yourself anymore..."

Nora, who could no longer hold her tears, broke down and cried her heart out.

***

"Are you sure you can go back by yourself?" Viola asked as they were parting.

Nora nodded. "I'll be fine." She finally smiled.

"Alright."

Nora hesitated for a while before she took a step forward and hugged Viola.

"Thank you."

"Take care." Viola smiled and hugged her back.

"Nora?" A familiar voice was heard from behind.

"Walter?" Both Nora and Viola called out the man's name.

Walter was walking towards them. Following closely behind him was... Leon.

"Leon??" Viola called. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm just bringing him here." Leon replied plainly.

"What on earth..."

"Viola..." Walter opened his mouth and then closed it again.

Viola did not say anything. She turned to Nora. She was equally shocked too, it seemed.

Walter stopped in front of them. He clenched his fist and lowered his head.

"I'm sorry!"

Viola was taken aback.

"It was all my fault. I didn't want to admit I betrayed you first. I didn't know how to face you. And when Nora told me she was pregnant... I... didn't know what to do. Before I knew it, I came to Bellfield... to find you. I shouldn't have run from Nora. I ended up hurting you more." Walter looked at Nora and turned back to Viola. "Please don't blame her. It was me... who made her do so."

"Walter..." Nora bit her lip.

There was a silence among them. "What are you going to do now?" Viola asked.

"Eh? I..."

"Get yourself together, Walter. You are going to be a father." Viola smiled.

"You..."

"I'm now a married woman, you know, so I can't possibly go back to you." Viola glanced at Leon. He looked annoyed.

She then took Nora's hand and handed it over to Walter. "Take care of her, will you? I'll forgive you if you do so." She smiled at both of them.

"Miss Ernest..." Nora looked at Viola.

"She is Mrs. Oliver now." Leon corrected from a few meters away. He felt like an outsider now.

Walter nodded. "I will." And added "Thank you, Viola."

He looked at her tenderly. "I... still love you. I won't lie about that." He glanced at Leon and whispered softly. "But it seems you have found a better man."

Viola blushed. At that moment, Walter knew he had passed up his chance. He smiled bitterly.

"I... wish you happiness, and sorry... for everything."

After waving goodbye to the new couple, Viola walked back to the florist with Leon.

"You don't seem sad." Leon said as they walked.

Viola scratched her head. "Strange, isn't it? I don't even feel angry at them. I'm just relieved to know that Walter wasn't involved in what Eugene did. He was just there... at the wrong time..."

Leon did not say anything. He just looked ahead blankly.

"By the way, how did you find me here?" Viola asked.

"You are working just across my office. How could I not notice?" Leon retorted.

"But you are 40 floors above..."

There was a short silence. "I have... my way."

Viola stopped walking, realizing something. "You... are you still hiring those bodyguards to follow me??"

Leon did not answer. He continued walking.

"Leon!! You promised me you will get rid of them!" Viola ran after him.

"I changed my mind." Leon ignored her and walked further ahead. He had never thought of removing the guards at all. Given her naivety, there was no way he would leave her unprotected.